Keith Treman, pastor of Portland United Methodist Church, has been named president of the Portland Area Chamber of Commerce.

Tutt Gorman, attorney and partner with Winters Gorman, PLLC, has been named the chamber's vice-president.

Treman replaces Lynne Paradiso, who served as chamber president for more than two years.

"I made a professional and personal decision, as the leader of an organization, that there needed to be more time for me to donate to have it run appropriately," Paradiso said, "I didn't have the time anymore."

Paradiso's husband, Steve, a videographer, also donated numerous hours and videos to promote the Portland area business community.

"It's just time to step back," she said.

Gorman credited Lynne Paradiso for her leadership and for creating momentum for the chamber's future.

"Lynne did a lot. The chamber grew during her tenure and we are really appreciative and thankful for that," said Gorman.

Moving forward, the chamber's board plans "a deliberate approach" to understanding the business climate in the Portland area and the needs of the members it serves. In the works is a refocus on the organization's core mission: to help members prosper and succeed through a proactive working partnership with all levels of government and community organizations, with a goal of achieving a strong local economy and better quality of life.

"We are excited to meet the needs, promote and celebrate the Portland business community and working with other community leaders and groups to make Portland a great place to live and work," Treman said in an email.

The theme of "working together" with other Portland area entities, including the Downtown Development Authority, Portland Main Street, city government and other groups, will return the chamber to its roots, Gorman said.

"You're really going to see a collaborative effort on the board members' part," said Gorman. "Our current board does a lot. We've got a good group of people in the chamber, and a lot of former members are coming back. Now it's very important we reach out and rebuild those relationships."

Like every non-profit organization, the Portland chamber has limited resources, so one of the first steps in the new direction is to reassess every program and activity the chamber is engaged in "to be sure it's in keeping with the mission and will take Portland in the right direction," said Gorman.

"Every dollar counts," he added. "We want to find ways to truly serve businesses and members, and create an atmosphere where other businesses want to move to Portland. Situated off the interstate, we're poised for growth."